Axle spade for mobile artillery



N. KOCH.

-AXLE SPADE FOR MOBILE ARTILLERY.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26| I913.

Patented May 30, 1922..

RAILKQQS.

a mu im ml are? NOBBERI KOCH, OF ESSEll-RELLINGHAUSEN, 'GEBIE'IANY, ASSICi-NOR, BY 1V1 ASSIGNMENTS, TO TEE ALIEN PROPERTY CUSTQDIAN.

AXLE SPADE FOR lP/IOBILE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l. Nonnnirr Econ, residing at Essen-Eellinghausen, Germany, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Axle Spades for Mobile Artillery, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an axle spade or axle bed for mobile artillery, that isanchorage organs for gun carriages, that are situated beneath or approximately beneath the wheel axles when in firing position. The object of the present invention is an improvementof such spades 01' beds -relative to their connection with the gun carriage.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated one embodiment of the present invention, and I Figure 1 shows a side view of a gun carriage with an axle spade partly in section and one wheel removed, and

Fig. 2 a top plan view of a part Fig. 1.

For anchorage of the gun carriage on the ground is provided a spade having a pressure plate F and crosswlse arranged ribs F intended for gripping the ground. The pressure plate F carries a ]ournal f perpendicular to the plate, and over which a sleeve 9 of an upwardly extendmg arm G, reinforced by a flange 9 may be pushed. At its upper end, the arm G has an abutment face 9 which may impinge agalnst a surface h of the wheel axle which is cranked downwards in its middle portion, which surface 7L runs practically parallel to the wheel axle. As connection between the arm G and the body of the carriage C serves a rigid, fork shaped bar J or other similar device, which is hinged with its fork arms at o to the flasks of the body C of the carriage and may be connected by means of a key bolt 2' with the eyelets g of the G. Sullicient play is given the key bolt 17 in the eyelets g, so that connection is possible between the arm G and the bar J even when the wheel axle does not lie perpendicularly with respect to the axis of the journal f which might occur when the gun carriage rests on uneven ground. Instead of this play the bar J may be made in two parts, which can be rotate relative to each other in the longitudinal direction. During transportation of the gun carriage, the bar J may I Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 26,

'th rou gh Patented May 36 1922. Serial scatter.

ment fac of the arm Lastly, the bar 1 connected with the cyelets'g of the arm a by means of the key bolt i The gun carriage may then be swl'lng around the axis of the journal F, by means for instance of the hand spike K; The bar J and the arm G partake in the swinging of the 'gun carriage.

is transmitted to the spade F, F the intermediary of the hard and. the arm G. No tilting of the spade in the ground can therefore occur, as the arm G would have to partake in such a tilting movement, and the arm is prevented from bending backwards with the spade through its impingement with the wheel axle H.

The now described construction'possesses therefore particularly this advantage over gun carriages provided with a spade for anchorage in the ground and. permanently suspended between the wheels of the gun carriage, that the spade may be anchored in the ground without interference by the gun carriage. The spade may then be driven directly into the ground by hammer blows, whilst with the above named older types of gun carriages a pit has first to be dug for the spade, into which the spade has to be swung. Nforeover, the gun carriage wheels the gun 1 may, with the present device, sink down into the ground independent of the spade. so that when, during firing. the carriage wheels sink into the ground at different depths, the spade is not loosened. With the described arrangement several positions for the gun carriage may also be prepared in advance by driving spades into the ground in several places. The gun carriage will thereupon be connected, in the above described manner, with one or the other of the spades. The fact that the spade and its arm may be transported separate from the gun carriage,

The recoil shock caused by the firing of makes it possible to obtain a favorable distribution of load on the vehicles of the battery.

Without changing the subject matter of the invention, abed plate might for instance, be utilized instead of the spade F, F which bed plate is provided with cuts for wedges or other device, that may be driven into the ground for the purpose of anchoring the bed plate thereon.

I claim:

1. An anchorage device for gun carriages comprising an anchoring portion and a carriage abutting portion; a locking member on the carriage detachably connected to said abutting portion, whereby said two portions will be released from the carriage upon the detachment of said locking member from said abutting portion.

2. An anchorage device for gun carriages comprising an anchoring portion and a carriage abutting portion; a locking member on the carriage detachably connected to said abutting portion, whereby said two portions will be released from the carriage upon the detachment of said locking member from said abutting portion; said abutting portion having pivoted connection with said anchoring portion and a plain abutting surface adapted to rest against a corresponding surface on the gun carriage.

3. An anchorage device for gun carriages comprising an anchoring and an abutting member; a journal on said anchoring memher, said abutting member being provided with a sleeve open at both ends and adapted to be slipped over said journal; an upwardly extending arm on said sleeve and a reinforcing flange therefor, a plain surface at the free end of said arm adapted to rest against a corresponding surface 011 the carriage; a

fork with its prongs permanently hinged on the carriage, interengaging eyelets 011 said sleeve and on the shank of said fork, and a bolt for locking the eyelets together during operation, and other eyelets on the carriage for securing the shank to the carriage by means of said bolt during travel; while said abutting member is thus detached from said fork, said anchoring member and the carriagc for separate transportation.

4. In a mobile mount for recoiling guns having a trail, and a pair of traction wheels; an anchoring device adapted to enter the ground between the wheels, a rigid connecting member between said anchoring device and the trail an arm on said anchoring device constructed to abut against a surface provided on the side of the trail facing muz- Zlewards and running approximately parallel to the axis of said wheels.

7 The foregoing specification signed at Barmen, Germany this 5th day of December,

NORBERT KOCH. [n s] In presence of ALBERT NUFER FRANCES NUFER. 

